Coaching and Training Blog
Coaching Contracting and the New Coach
I have worked with hundreds of people to become coaches, primarily as part of their role. Any coach development training in the area of coaching contracting is a key element of the coaching process and coaching relationship. However, I experience with developing new...
Your leadership walk
A while ago I was very fortunate to walk the Camino Frances (or the Way of St. James). An old pilgrimage route from St.Jean Pierre de Port in France, across the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostella in Western Spain. Some 800kms. A highlight for me was my pre-dawn walk...
The phrase to be avoided in your people leadership…
I have delivered hundreds of leadership workshops in my years. The phrase that still crops up with scary regularity which I believe is fundamentally floored and damaging is 'constructive criticism'. No matter how much progress we have made in investing in and...
Great Coaching Questions
'Great Coaching Questions' A new book by Nick Howell Great Coaching Questions combines Nick’s vast experience as a coach, coach and mentor trainer, his work with organisational leaders, managers and coaches and involvement with leadership and coaching...
‘Hybrid working’ – the next normal?
At the time of writing, we are in our 3rd Covid lockdown. Employees are encouraged to work from home if they can - again. Over the past year, organisations have had to consider where and how they and their employees work. We recognise too that whilst the current...
Are you being an Authentic Leader?
Authentic leadership is more a way of being than a leadership model. It is well suited to the times we find ourselves…
Top 7 healthy traits your team need for dispersed working
Good team working when leading dispersed lives doesn’t have to be difficult. However, there are some fundamentals that need to be in place and reinforced. Use these traits to assess the ‘health’ of your team. Also, where you should be focusing your leadership...
People Development as a Support to Mental Wellbeing
People development may not be every businesses top priority at the moment. Many organisations at these times see people development as a cost rather than an investment. Or there are more 'important things to deal with'. Not recognising that undertaking development...
Are your teams aligned to THEIR strengths and team roles?
Leaders and managers spend a lot of time and energy recruiting and developing employees for the right technical and professional roles. Who they as the leader think they will best technically and professionally fit into the team. On the surface, this is right and...
How much trust is there in your team?
Trust is foundational to a healthy team, yet it is given little attention by leaders. How is trust in your team?
I am tired of looking up virtual noses…
When virtual working we need to think about how we position our screens. Looking up at someone’s distorted out of focus face is not a great experience. But it is a simple fix.
The importance of doing nothing as a leader.
There is value in leaders ‘doing nothing’ at times. Creating the mental space to silently process and allow the brain to relax. This stimulates new and different thinking to aid creativity and problem solving.
Coaching – executive privilege or employee right?
Creating a universal accessibility to coaching and coach training is critical for organisations. Moving away from purely an executive coaching only approach.
Leaders – Take Time to Stand and Stare
You may not be familiar with W H Davies poem Leisure. You will however recognise its opening lines – “What is this life if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare”. The poem later begins some lines with “No time to see…”. Looking back at these weeks of...
Ever tried coaching with your children?
I have trained hundreds of people in organisations to coach their reports and peers. Often when supervising candidates they share that they tried it out on their kids. To their surprise (but not mine!) they shared how well it went. Coaching is a powerful tool for all...
Just a coaching side salad?
Coaching is still just a ‘side salad’ in many organisations. But is doesn’t have to be. Going thought to where coaching can impact enables its establishment.
Becoming a virtual LEADER…
Virtual leadership is with us and will continue to be. Successful virtual leadership requires a shift and development of existing and new skills and behaviours.
Challenges and Opportunities of Dispersed Leadership
We are being forced to change. Virtual ways of working are the norm. Dispersed leadership is a reality, but it’s challenges need to be acknowledged.
10 Signs You as a Leader Would Benefit from Coaching…
Tim Gallwey in his book ‘The Inner Game of work’ develops the equation Performance = Potential – Interference. We all have both potential within us, and at times, interferences. Interferences - those things that stop us from achieving our potential and delivering...
Why you DON’T need coaching – a conversation.
Some businesses and individuals are still ‘anti’ coaching or more old school towards it. Here we play with some common reasons.
Coaching People Through Transition.
People confuse change with transition. We change things, we transition people. Coaching enables transition.
Understanding different types of coaching
So many types of coaching out there. But what’s the difference? Who are they for? A simple guide.
Avoiding the ‘Peter Principle’ through coaching
We want the best people to progress. Coaching makes the likelihood of success greater.
The most important leadership gift you have…
The quality time a leader gives to their employees is transformational to both parties. This is critical for employees.
Cycling and Leadership
I am an avid cyclist. One of the benefits for me is the time and space to think and process unhindered.
Becoming a learning leader
‘Leaders never stop learning’ is so true. Here, we examine how these leaders become ‘learning leaders’.
What stops you investing in your leadership?
To maintain these high value requires leaders to invest in themselves.
8 Signs of bad leadership – how leaders adversely impact upon the culture of their teams
Bad leadership and how to avoid it in your team.
Executive Coaching, opportunities and you.
Leaders support their children, teams and peers but can be more hesitant with themselves.
Giving Feedback: Why The Managers You Hired Might Be Avoiding It…
Feedback is an important aspect of being a good leader.
7 Reasons Why Your Managers Are Managing But Not Leading
Common feedback I hear from senior leaders about those who aspire for progression.
Transform your team’s culture through coaching and leadership
Culture is often defined as ‘the way we do things around here’. We can see developing culture or influencing it as a big task and goal. Yes, organisational cultural change is complex and long term activity. However, daily coaching and leadership conversations...
Enabling your managers to become leaders
So you have a set of good managers, but how do you get them to become leaders? As a senior leader you have a key role in nurturing them, helping them to become leaders of people and organisations. But how do you get them to make that transition? Here are some idea...
Effective leadership and not having enough time
How often do you hear from your first line and middle leaders ‘I don’t have enough time’ as a response to questions about delivery or people activities? It is the most common response I get when exploring and challenging people's thinking around effective leadership....
Leadership skills: Helping Your Leaders Give Feedback Every Day
Providing employees with feedback is one of the most important leadership skills. You need your leaders to be providing feedback to their employees on a more regular basis, but how do you do it? Before providing a more comprehensive guide to feedback which you can...
8 questions to ask your prospective Executive Coach
So you need some support to make some improvements in how you work as a people leader in your business? Executive Coaching is a powerful approach leading to changes in leadership behaviours and performance. Picking the 'right' coach is important. Here are some...
8 Reasons the Line Managers You Hired Might be Micromanaging
Senior leaders often express frustration, wishing their managers would spend more time managing and leading their teams and less time micromanaging and firefighting. As a workplace coach, I often come across this problem. My discussions with line managers reinforce...